EN 1.4306 Stainless Steel – Low-Carbon Weld-Stable General-Purpose Alloy

Overview

EN 1.4306 is the low-carbon optimized variant of EN 1.4301, with a carbon content strictly controlled below 0.03%. Specifically designed to address intergranular corrosion issues during welding, it is the direct upgrade replacement for standard 304 grades in welded structural applications. Compared to EN 1.4301, EN 1.4306 eliminates the risk of "sensitization" caused by the formation of chromium carbides at grain boundaries (resulting from the combination of carbon and chromium), ensuring no complex post-weld annealing is required while maintaining the original corrosion resistance.

Chemical Composition (wt%)

C ≤ 0.03, Cr: 18.00-20.00, Ni: 8.00-11.00, Mn ≤ 2.00, Si ≤ 1.00, P ≤ 0.045, S ≤ 0.015, N ≤ 0.11

Typical Mechanical Properties (Annealed Condition)

Tensile Strength (Rm): ≥ 480 MPa; Yield Strength (Rp0.2): ≥ 175 MPa; Elongation (A): ≥ 40%; Brinell Hardness (HB): ≤ 201

Core Advantages

Sensitization-resistant design: extremely low carbon content ensures corrosion stability in the heat-affected zone during welding, fundamentally eliminating intergranular corrosion risks; process simplification: no post-weld solution annealing required, significantly reducing production costs and cycles for large or complex welded parts; performance retention: fully inherits the general corrosion resistance and formability of EN 1.4301.

Applications

Welded pressure vessels, chemical pipelines, food processing pipelines, large storage tanks, welded structural components in corrosive environments, and architectural welded parts.

Equivalent Grades

AISI 304L, UNS S30403, GB 022Cr19Ni10, SUS304L

Stainless Steel Suppliers

If you have project requirements for stainless steel, we welcome your order. GNEE has a large inventory of popular products for you to choose from. It can be processed into various practical product forms, including plates, coils, tubes, bars, wires, etc. For detailed chemical composition information and free samples, please contact our factory immediately. We offer competitive prices and excellent service.Email: info@gneestainless.com

 

Testing and Documentation: Factory test certificate, EN 10204 3.1, chemical report, mechanical report, destructive testing report, non-destructive testing report, PMI test report, visual inspection report, third-party inspection report, NABL certified laboratory report.
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